[Murugan]

Saw the 2017 EcoSport at 'Chennai Ford', Arumbakkam today.

The 'Race Red' colour looks interesting.

Have scheduled a test drive of the automatic for tomorrow.

They had only the ex-showroom price available.

EcoSport deliveries will apparently start only around the end of November 2017 as they are awaiting 'RTO approval', whatever that means.

[condor]

Prices in Bangalore



( received from JSP Ford)

[nikhil_d1106]

Visited a Ford dealership in Mumbai, price list attached.

[qaqa]

Looking at Bangalore OTR prices, there's a 2.5L difference between the Trend+ AT and the Titanium+ AT. Way too much of a difference IMHO - especially considering that the Trend+ AT already has a good feature kit. Except for the 4 airbags and push-start button, I don't really see much of a value add to justify such a huge premium.

In fact, the Creta SX+ AT petrol (which is certainly a full segment higher) sells in Bangalore for 16.1L OTR - that's just about 2.3L premium over the Titanium+ AT. With the gap being so small, many buyers will definitely be looking at the Creta too.

IMHO, Ford has messed up the top-spec AT pricing. Maybe they can atleast release a Titanium AT spec which sits just below the 10L ex-showroom price - this will also help Ford showcase that even in the Titanium AT, there is no change in pricing post face-lift!

I'm now torn between the top-spec Ecosport and the Creta AT. Will do test drives of both and try to take a call.

[manish_symc]

Comparing prices of Diesel T+ prices of Bangalore and Pune.

Bangalore - Insurance price 36942+7179 = 44121
Pune - Insurance price 43129+ 10284 = 53413

Does insurance premium differ State wise?

[govindremesh]

Ford dropped the Ecoboost petrol engine? That's a Bummer! :(

[blurust]

Originally Posted by qaqa

Looking at Bangalore OTR prices, there's a 2.5L difference between the Trend+ AT and the Titanium+ AT. Way too much of a difference IMHO - especially considering that the Trend+ AT already has a good feature kit. Except for the 4 airbags and push-start button, I don't really see much of a value add to justify such a huge premium.

In fact, the Creta SX+ AT petrol (which is certainly a full segment higher) sells in Bangalore for 16.1L OTR - that's just about 2.3L premium over the Titanium+ AT. With the gap being so small, many buyers will definitely be looking at the Creta too.

IMHO, Ford has messed up the top-spec AT pricing. Maybe they can atleast release a Titanium AT spec which sits just below the 10L ex-showroom price - this will also help Ford showcase that even in the Titanium AT, there is no change in pricing post face-lift!

I'm now torn between the top-spec Ecosport and the Creta AT. Will do test drives of both and try to take a call.

Yes there will be cross shopping. If you just need more space probably then Creta scores high, other than that I don't think Creta has any advantage over Ecosport. If you think highly of built quality, fun to drive factor and utmost safety Ecosport has an upper hand. Ecosport has 4 airbags, traction control, ESP( potentially life saving) hill hold, puddle lamps, Paddle shifters, Almost similar power(not considering power to weight ratio), leather seats, 8 inch touchscreen over creta automatic.

[qaqa]

Originally Posted by blurust

If you think highly of built quality, fun to drive factor and utmost safety Ecosport has an upper hand. Ecosport has 4 airbags, traction control, ESP( potentially life saving) hill hold, puddle lamps, ....

Honestly, even on the safety aspect, I'm not entirely convinced that the EcoSport is better. To begin with, a lot of the safety depends upon structural strength and I am not sure if the EcoSport has any significant advantage here.

Going further, the Creta has more "passive" (i.e. preventive) safety - Creta has good visibility (without the EcoSport's severe blind-spots), static bending cornering lights etc. The EcoSport of course has the technical edge with TCS, ESP, HLA and 6 airbags.

Coming back to the Ecosport, I think I will be giving the Trend+ AT a close look - most of the feature omissions I can live with (and one without which I possibly cannot live - the 6 airbags!)

[ts1506]

I am waiting for pictures and coverage of both the Ambiente and Trend+ variants. Really want to see how the interiors look with the cut-down music systems.

For under 9 lacs OTR Kolkata, the Ambiente diesel seems like a good bet. Has all the basics covered, Powered windows, mirrors, ABS+ 2 Airbags, Remote Locking, Music System with Bluetooth.

This time around, they didn't skimp on stupid things like rear headrests (the last Ambiente had a totally flat seat back with no headrests at all).

EDIT: Here's how the base model interiors should look like. Sourced from a Brazilian video. The console looks a lot barren and outdated to be honest.

[aryayush]

1. Automatic Headlamps
2. Paddle Shift
3. Push Start/Stop and Smart Entry with Capacitive Sensor
4. Rain Sensing Wipers
5. Rear Seat Centre Armrest with Cup Holders
6. Rear View Camera
7. Sunglass Holder
8. LED Day Time Running Lamps
9. Projector Beam Headlamps
10. 8-inch Touchscreen
11. Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
12. Front Map Lamps
13. Glove Box Illumination
14. Multicolour Footwell Ambient Lighting
15. Higher Quality Interiors
16. Premium Leather Seats
17. 60/40 Split Rear Seat
18. Cargo Area Management System - Flat Bed Seats
19. Leather Gear Shift Knob
20. Leather Steering Wheel
21. Sporty Alloy Pedal
22. Cruise Control with Adjustable Speed Limiter Device
23. Ford MyKey
24. High Speed Warning
25. ISOFIX
26. Locking Wheel Nut for Alloy Spare Wheel
27. Side and Curtain Airbags
28. 205/50 R17 Alloy Wheels

That's a total of twenty-eight extra features the Titanium+ trim has over the Trend+, at least about twenty of which I consider essential convenience, safety or utility features. Given that we mostly agree that the Trend+ variant is sensibly priced, I'm happy to pay the ₹1.6 lac (ex-showroom) / ₹1.9 lac (on road, in Siliguri) premium for the addition of these features.

This is a product that is practically unique in its price range and segment (with the far inferior Renault Duster being the only competition), so a bit of a higher margin on the most luxurious trim is justified. Not to mention that this is something we've been asking manufacturers for for several years now, that they should provide automatic gearboxes on the top-spec trims of their vehicles. It would be quite petty to now complain about it being overpriced, given its strengths.

Even if we do a back of the envelope calculation and put a price on each additional feature we're getting for the ₹1.6 lac asking price, it seems quite justified. The Hyundai Creta has more spacious interiors but is lacking on every other front compared to the EcoSport, particularly the driving characteristics, features, interior furnishings and safety, and yet is ₹2.4 lac more expensive. It's a no-brainer of a decision for me.

For those who're saying that Ford should have added six airbags to the Trend+ trim or launched the Titanium trim with an automatic gearbox or priced the Titanium+ trim at under ₹10 lacs (somehow, inexplicably, magically ) to "grab the market from the competition" , don't seem to understand the economics of how companies decide the pricing and product lineup.

Ford has priced every trim except the Titanium+ AT quite aggressively, and is intentionally keeping higher margins for itself on its halo product, while still keeping a sufficient delta between it and its nearest competitor (the Hyundai Creta). This is sensible for the company and is in the interests of its customers.

We want Ford to remain profitably employed in India if we want it to continue offering automatic, fun to drive, safe cars in the Indian market. The day companies like Ford shut shop in India, established companies like Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki will have even less of an incentive to produce high quality products.

For all of these reasons, I'm happy to cough up the ₹12.20 lacs this car will cost me, even though it's about ₹50 – ₹70 thousand more than I'd expected to pay. For those who're on a tight budget, I think the Trend+ trim is a well priced offering for you to take advantage of. I do hope, along with you, that automatics will become so popular one day that manufacturers will be able to offer them on all the trims in the lineup. Until then, I think this is the best lineup Ford could have come up with.

[Latheesh]

Ford Ecosport facelift ad

https://youtu.be/VogleBXyelE

[Jude300]

The elusive Race Red: Looks great in these pics. A lot more aggressive than the blue. Or is it too flashy?









Aahh.. I wish those alloys were the same as the outgoing model. Would have looked sporty. This looks puny and way too plain. The only good thing would be it would be easier to clean.

[condor]

Originally Posted by aryayush

That's a total of twenty-eight extra features the Titanium+ trim has over the Trend+, ...

IMO, These would have been on my required list and would like them to be on the Trend+:
Projector Beam Headlamps
8-inch Touchscreen

At least 2 are quite standard items on the feature list of cars :
60/40 Split Rear Seat
Front Map Lamps

Subjective:
Higher Quality Interiors

But features like these two could have been made standard.
Cargo Area Management System - Flat Bed Seats
ISOFIX

The Hyundai Creta has more spacious interiors but is lacking on every other front compared to the EcoSport, particularly the driving characteristics, features, interior furnishings and safety, and yet is ₹2.4 lac more expensive.

2.4 Lakhs is being spoken of like it was a 24k difference ! In a price sensitive market like ours, this is a big number.

The day companies like Ford shut shop in India, established companies like Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki will have even less of an incentive to produce high quality products.

Anyone complaining should go and compare the Ecosport with the Brezza. The mediocrity of the Brezza will "shine" through .

[DragonHawk]

Originally Posted by condor

Prices in Bangalore

Attachment 1694511

( received from JSP Ford)

If you consider 17% as road tax for new vehicles that cost Rs. 10 lakhs to Rs. 20 lakhs. For Titanium + diesel that comes around Rs. 1,81,411 and price list shows Rs. 2,04,954 and clearly there is a difference of Rs. 23,515. Even after considering the "extra" charges which incur in RTO, don`t you think this is day light robbery.

Will the dealer agree if we ourselves take up the registration activities? .

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by qaqa

Honestly, even on the safety aspect, I'm not entirely convinced that the EcoSport is better. To begin with, a lot of the safety depends upon structural strength

Looks like you haven't checked / compared the vehicle personally.
With all due respect, I would suggest to do that before you make a decision.
Speaking about the structural strength alone just open any door by yourself and get in and shut them to realize how safe you'll feel on closing those beefy doors of Ecosport. Just the relative comparison would be sufficient and let alone those technical advanced safety features, they are all bonus.
For some one who is more concerned about safety than anything else will sure take a plunge on Ecosport.

Cheers!